Frame members



June 24, 1958 G. BuRRows 2,840,388

. FRAME MEMBERS ,f Filed Sept. 9, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTORNEY June 24, 1958 G. BURROWS FRAME MEMBERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 9. 19,54

ATTORNI'EY- v June 24, 1958 G. BURROWS FRAME MEMBERS Fild sept. 9; 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 l NVE NTO R. @aa/fg//ffa/z/ BY ATToRmEY nid Sims Patent o FRAME MEMBERS Godfrey Burrows, Flint, Mich., assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application September 9, 1954, Serial No. 455,034

1.0 Claims. (Cl. 2550-106) This invention relates to structural frame members generally and more particularly to structural members for use as frames in automotive and other vehicles.

Vehicle frames in the past have included channel shaped, boxed and tubular side rails and ybracing members. The channel and boxed membersl have been most acceptable in that they may be readily varied in size and shape and formed other than straight. The tubular structural frame member on the other hand, while recognized as lighter in weight and ofgreater strength, does not yield itself well to being formed other than straight and of .constant diameter without the likelihood of collapse in bending and of weakening in varying the crosssectional dimension.

It is now proposed to provide a vehicle frame construction including tubular side rails. The proposed side rails include bends and Varied cross-sections without weakening the frame or introducing a likelihood of tubular collapse. The side rails comprise a plurality of sections, preferably three sections, two of which are tubular in form and are joined together by a transition member formed of two abutting channel members. .The tubular sections may thus initially be of diierent cross-sections. The tubular sections of the side rails are formed to provide a rectangular cross-section which may be varied in shape without varying the peripheral dimension by the transposition of material fromV the top to the sides of the rail. A smaller cross-section is also readily formed by wrinkling or forming part of the tubular wall Within its own peripheral limits. It is proposed to provide structural spacers or braces between adjacent sections of the side rail for strengthening the ends of the members and enabling greater ease of assembly. The transition section is proposed to be located within the critical bend of the vehicle frame in the vicinity of the rear kick-up portion of the frame to reduce the chance of collapse in so bending a tubular member.

It is proposed yto provide a frame member which may I be inexpensively made from sheet material which is formed by rolling and is seam welded. It is further proposed to provide a frame member such as may be formed of varied cross-sections. In use with automotive vehicles it is proposed to provide a frame assembly having no intermediate crossrails or braces. The oor of the vehicle body may be used as a structural member to reinforce the frame. The tubular structural members here proposed are considered of greater strength and dura-y bility than previously proposed frame members and to be more easily made and assembled than other frame members presently in use.

" ice' Figure 4 is `a cross-sectional end view of one 'side rail r of the vehicle frame of Figure 2 taken in the plane of line 4 4 and 'viewed in the direction 'of the arrows thereon.

Y Figure 5 is 4a cross-sectional l'end view of onev of 'the frame members shown in Figure 1 taken in the plane of line 5 5 and viewed in the direction of the arrows thereon.

Figure 6 is a Across-sectional View of one of the structural brace members taken in the plane of line 6--6 of Figure 3 and viewed in the direction of the arrows thereon.

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of another 'brace member taken in the plane of line 7-7 of Figure 3 and viewed inthe direction of the arrows thereon.

Figures 8 and 9 are cross-sectional views of the vframe member of Figure 2 taken in the planes of lines 8 8 and 9-9'respectively and viewed in the direction of the arrows thereon.

The automotive vehicle frame shown in Figures l and 2 includes side rails 1G and 12, a rear crossbrace 14, and

braces 16 and 14.

the front crossbrace assembly 16. of the frame will be provided through the engine block.Y

Body support brackets `22, tail pipe hanger 24, suspen sion assembly brackets 26 and the like are also secured to the side rails 1t) and 12. A vehicle body when se lcured to the body support brackets 22 will lend additional structural reinforcement to the vehicle frame.

The side rails 10 and 12 are each formed of Ya plurality of sections or members, preferably three, which include a rear tubular section 23, an intermediate or transition section 3i) and a forward tubular section 32. The tubular sections 28 and 32 need not be of the same `tubular cross-section, as is shown. Each tubular section 28 and 32 is formed in rectangular cross-section as shown in Figures. 9 and 8 respectively. The transition member may be tubular in form but is preferably formed of two channel members v3% and 36 butt or lap welded together. The channel member construction is found more acceptable Where there is appreciable variance vin the diameters of the two tubular sections 28 and 32 to be joined. A channel member construction may more easily be formed having ends of different and varied cross-section, Valthough a tube might be swaged in an acceptable manner.

The side rails 10 and 12are vertically Voffset at each end as shown in Figure 2 at 11Y and 13. The forward tubular section 32 of each side rail is also offset horizontally as shown in- Figure l at 15 and is `formed to include a greater vertical than horizontal dimension or depth to provide'increased structural strength for accommodating the vehicle engine (not shown) received 'atV that end of the frame assembly. Each side rail 10 and 12 is further formed to provide anfarcuate portion 17 more commonly referred to in vehicle frames as a Y rear kick-up. The kick-up portion 17 is adapted to accommodate a rear axle assembly, not here shown, and is arcuately formed to carry the frame member over the V,rear axle. The transition member 30 is disposed in the vicinity transition member 30 are secured by spot welding or` `to` be of a smaller` peripheral dimension. Yswage or otherwise reduce the tubular cross-section which 48, angled or stepped portion 50, or any other configura- `members 28 and `f32uto the transition member30f The supports 381 are formed from `'sheet' material and include crosisvribs 40 and'anges 42 adding additional strength other means, transverse supports or form braces 38 Y thereto.,` The braces 38 tare linserted just back from the t endsoffmernbers 28, 30 and '32 leaving aweld area 44.

The`,respective members are butted together and a asvh weld 46 is then applied about the ends of the tubular members `28 and 32 and the transition member 30 in the The forward ends of tubular members 32 are required Rather than weld 4area `44 to securely hold the frame sections rigidly together.

would `be` `quite costly, the circumferential portionsof the ends of members 32 are formed or wrinkled within their normal peripheral dimension as shown in Figure 4. The end of each side rail 10 and 12 may thus .beV

formed to any desired shape or dimension which will permit greatenease of assembly with thel front crossbrace assembly 16,` or to provide a curved top surface tion. Suicient of the peripheral material isrused to form (the` wrinkles 52 4and- 54 :within the outer-defined limits of the ends.of the` rails'to enable forming theY rails `tothe size and configuration required.

` I claim:

LA vehicle frame comprising a pair of side rails "disposed `in parallel spaced relation and having brace memberstsecured thereto and `extended between adjacently disposed ends thereof, said side` rails including `seamtw'elded tubular sections each of substantially constant `diameter and comparatively of different diameters `and an` intermediate member having `said tubular sec-v tions secured `in end-toend relation therewith.

2. Thetframe `of claim l having said side rails verti- Vcally oset near one end `thereof and the tubular sections 'forming said side rails formed ,to` a rectangular cross- `sectio`n `with theportiontof said sectionl within said off- ,size and configuration by the forming and `wrinkling of :l excess material within 'the outer-defined limits thereof to provide greater ease of assembly with other members of smaller peripheral measurements.

` 4.` A vehicle `frame comprising. side rails `vertically oifset at opposite ends thereof,` the forward ends of said side rails being also horizontally olset and the after ends including a kick-up portion, said side rails including seam welded tubular members and an intermediate boxed member secured therebetween, said intermediate mem- `ber being disposed within said kick-up portion.

S. The vehicle frame of claim 4having said tubular members formed to -a rectangular cross-section of `constant Vperipheral dimension with the portion thereof with- 4in one of said vertically offset ends having a greater Vvertical than horizontal section to provide additional vside rail.

an intermediate member having said end sections secured to opposite ends thereof, said intermediate section being disposed wholly within the kick-up portion of said rail to provide greater strength thereat and to reduce the amount of bending required of said tubular end sections in forming said kick-up portion.

7. A vehicle frame including a pair of side rails disposed in parallel spaced relation, brace members secured between adjacently disposed ends of said side rails, each of said side rails including tubular end sections of rectangular cross-section and an intermediate member having said end sections secured to opposite ends thereof, and form braces telescoped and secured within and near the ends of said end sections and said intermediate member to hold said ends to a given rectangular shape to enable butt welding of said end sections to said intermediate member.

8. Avehicle frame including a pair of siderails disposed in parallel spaced relation, brace members` secured to said. side rails between adjacently disposed ends thereof, keach of said side rails including seam welded tubular end sections of rectangular cross-section and an intermediate member having said end sections secured to opposite ends thereof, each of said side railsthaving aV kick-up portion near one end thereof, said intermediate member being disposed within said kick-up portion, said end sections including a vertically offset portion having an increased `vertical dimension and decreased horizontal dimension without peripheral change for providing greater structural strength within said offset portion.

9. A vehicle frame comprising a pair of side rail members disposed in` parallel spaced relation and having brace members secured thereto and extended between only adjacently disposed ends thereof, said side rails including seam welded tubular members of different diameters formedy in rectangular cross-section and an intermediate member formed by a pair of channel members secured together to provide -a closed box section, said intermediate member having opposite ends thereof secured to said tubular members of different diameters in end-to-end relation therewith to form a contiguous frame i l0.` A.vehicle frame member comprising a pair of side rails disposed in parallel spaced relation and having cross bracing members secured between only adjacently disposed ends thereof, said side rails each including seam welded tubular members of different diameters formed y in `rectangular cross-section and having box sectioned channel members secured therebetween, said last-men- ,tioned members having opposite ends formed to receive References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS V2,173,525 Wauace g sept. 19, 1939 2,192,560 Riemenschneider Mar. 5, 1940 2,194,356 Y Ecklund Mar. 19, 1940 2,257,664 Almdale Sept. 30, l94l 2,603,506

Johnson IulylS, 1952 

